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2006 Shannons Sydney Winter Auction - 24th July
Lot
3

1970 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Coupe

PASSED IN

Passed In

Specifications

Engine Flat 4-cylinder, 1584cc
Gearbox 4-speed manual
Body Work Coupe
Colour Deep Red
Interior Black
Trim Vinyl
Wheels Steel disc
Brakes Discs/Drums

Description

This lot is no longer available

Volkswagen's Karmann Ghia was an immensely successful transformation of the humble Beetle into a stylish coupe, the project the brainchild of Wilhelm Karmann whose Osnabruck factory was already producing a Cabriolet version of the Beetle. Appealing to those wanting a stylish, personal coupe without the expense involved in owning some of the more exotic cars on the market in the 1950s, the new Volkswagen featured very chic styling from Italian design studio Ghia on the basic Beetle platform widened slightly and with a stabiliser bar added to improve handling. This, along with the superior aerodynamics of the sleeker bodywork, allowed the Karmann Ghia to perform quite respectably and, in keeping with the coachbuilt nature of the new model, the interior was also more luxurious, dominated by the central clock. The Type 1 Karmann Ghia remained in production until 1973, by which time around 300,000 had been made and developments mirrored the Beetle; from 1960, a full-synchromesh gearbox and more powerful 34bhp engine were adopted, then came the 1300cc engine in 1965 but a year later the 1600cc motor from the Super Beetle was introduced. At the same time, dual circuit brakes with front discs were a big improvement and in 1970 the 1.6-litre engine was further worked over to give a full 50bhp and a big jump in performance. The practical and affordable Karmann Ghia has long been popular with collectors and good examples like this one are sure to prove a solid investment.